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Posted: 1/8/2008 2:41:15 PM EDT
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We all know of the famous "Dust Test" now and we have all seen pictures of USSOCOM testing the SCAR in desert locals, but has the SCAR been tested in extreme cold as well as extreme heat outside of a lab? Does anyone know? Thanks. |
Yes, to all your questions. Clint |
Yeah, but how many places has it been BESIDES a lab.  Sorry, had to get that one in there. Honestly I've been following the SCAR thing and think it's a hell of a rifle. I also used to sell some FN products and the ones I saw were always nice. There was a PDF of a gun mag torture test I saw in the AK forum that followed an Alaska Sheriff department's search for an issue rifle. They settled on an AK format after AR15s and HK91/93's all choked in the cold. The HK91, an awesome rifle format, actually had the charging handle break off. I would be seriously interested in how the SCAR holds up. The FAL wasn't a part of the torture test if I remember correctly (might not be). Here's hoping the SCAR passes with flying colors. Cold causes conventional lubricants to seize up and embrittles metal. |
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That would be pretty cool to see a torture test like that by an Alaskan Sheriff's Department. I have got to think that the cold mountains of Afghanistan can get pretty harsh and if anything happens in Pakistan you're talking about some serious mountain ranges that in winter would be harsh. Love to read an article from an Alaskan Sheriff about the SCAR, maybe they should donate a few rifles for them to look at.  EDIT: Or for NAM to test provided he invite me. 
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You got it! " The 181 degree (100 °C) variation between North Dakota's highest and lowest temperature is the 3rd largest variation of any U.S. State, and the largest of any non-mountainous state." "Subzero temperatures average about 40 to 70 days a year across the State. The lowest temperature ever recorded was -60° F at Parshall on February 15, 1936." 
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Two things - 1) Where can I read/view this article? There are no Sheriff's Dept's in Alaska - there are no counties, etc - only municipalities (cities) and the big wide open State. I'm a police officer here and fairly up to speed with what weapons all the agencies in Alaska use - and I don't know of any that use AK style weapons. Everything I'm aware of is AR platforms or HK's. 2) I'm a police officer here and could certainly fill your "need" to cold weather test one of these, so if anyone is sending out rifles to test/evaluate, then get ahold of me and send em my way!
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I would be happy to test it  I would expect that we will see another 10-20 day cold snap of -40 or colder this year. Probably wont see much colder than that at this point, but every now and then a -60 sneaks in/ If they wanted to get fancy and charter a plane, there are places not too distant that see -70 occasionally. In the summer a hig of 90 isnt out of the question I would shoot all of the ammo, at any temp they reqiested And I would do it for free 
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Hey thanks for finding that - it made for good reading! Funny about Jeff Hall writing it - I've become friends with Jeff over the years. He's a very very talented man - and knows his stuff. He's since retired from the Troopers and teaches around the Country for the NRA. Sidenote to the follow-up about his partner being killed - after the Trooper was shot, Jeff returned fire killing the suspect - from their Helo while circling up above..... The content of the article was great - they don't do many actual torture tests anymore, where they push guns to fail - it's refreshing to read that it was actually once done! It took quite a while for the Troopers, or any agency up here, to have a patrol rifle program - and as for the Troopers, Anchorage Police and a few other smaller units, all they use are HK's and AR's - using them myself, I still believe that in a worst case scenario with neglect, horrible conditions, etc - the AK style rifles probably do hold an edge 
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You're welcome guys. It was a damn cool pdf to be sure. It's one reason an AK sits in my collection. I am seriously looking forward to the SCAR. Fanboyism aside, when talented companies compete for our black rifle dollars, consumers always win! I figure the SCAR will do fine in cold weather. The FAL works like a champ about everywhere and the SCAR is basically a space suit wearing FAL right? If I'm wrong pardon me but a short stroke piston is definite piece of commonality. No matter what anyone says, quick change bbls are the future. It's just too handy. Plus changing bbls without headspacing worries is a definite selling point. Yep, I'd dearly love to see more about cold weather testing of the SCAR. |
SCAR and FAL have almost nothing in common as far as the operating system of the weapon other than that they are gas operated. FAL - short stroke piston with tilting block locked bolt, rear bolt / receiver lockup SCAR - gas tappet with operating rod, Op rod integral to bolt carrier, rotating bolt into barrel extension lockup |
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